The biggest fashion event of this year, the Met Gala, was postponed indefinitely on March 16, 2020, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, leaving many avid fashion enthusiasts very disappointed that they would not be able to attend. The cancellation led a lot of fans to speculate what their favorite celebrities might have worn to the Gala this year, and also to reminisce about previous years’s most iconic looks. A picture of a gorgeous, silver, diamond-encrusted gown designed by Guo Pei circled the internet, and it was claimed to be the dress that Rihanna would have worn to the Gala this year. However, this claim has yet to be confirmed, and the dress was also said to have been for Lana Del Ray. 

Although it may seem like fashion would be restricted due to quarantine, the opposite has actually happened, due to social media. On platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, fashion is one of the main types of content that can be found. In honor of the Met Gala, the #MetGalaChallenge was created to challenge people to recreate their favorite past Met Gala looks. The Try Guys on YouTube made beautiful recreations of the 2018 or 2019 looks of Blake Lively, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Zendaya. Outside of the Met Gala, fashion affects social media with influencers educating their followers on the ever-changing trends. In turn, the fashion world and its trends are influenced by social media. 

But does fashion really matter to students at Bronx Science? The answer is complicated, as some view clothing and style as an essential part of expressing themselves, whereas others may just see it as a superficial part of our world, and neither opinion is necessarily wrong. 

“I think that quarantine has really forced me to reconsider my values and what’s really important,” said Sophia Randall ’22, “Fashion just isn’t up there. There are many other things that I see in a person before I judge their style.”

However, Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss ’22, a member of the Bronx Science Fashion club, believes that fashion is a powerful form of communication. “Fashion is the best way for me to relate to others and to forge connections. I am so excited to go back to school, because I have so many fun outfits planned out,” she said. 

In terms of how quarantine has impacted her sense of fashion, Isabella Vidal, ’22 said, “I think I’ve become a lot lazier in terms of how I dress, but I’ve also had more time to research and to think about my fashion choices. Fashion is really important to me because you wear what makes you feel good. If a pair of jeans and a t-shirt don’t make you feel good, buy new clothes.” 

On the other hand, Farhan Sreejan ’23 said, “Quarantine hasn’t really affected my sense of fashion, or anything. I usually wear similar clothes every day anyway, and that has not changed because of this.”

“Something that has changed my view on fashion is YouTube” said Pelegano-Titmuss. “It’s really inspiring to see people just like you share their experiences in the fashion industry or just give tips on how to wear a certain type of dress.”

Another part of fashion that social media platforms help to bring to light are the actual creators behind the looks. An excellent resource for finding Black-owned businesses dedicated to self-care is BLK+GRN which allows customers to shop for skincare and beauty products based on their concerns. Even better, all of the products on the website are all-natural and sustainably based, so you do not have to worry about buying products that are harmful for the environment. @retailnoire is an Instagram account that features Black designers, and if you want to learn more about Black fashion creators, or to get fashion inspiration, it is a great place to start. Queer Design Club is a community which celebrates LGBTQ+ designers around the world. 

Historically, minority groups have influenced fashion considerably. The LGBTQ+ community have made significant breakthroughs in breaking gender stereotypes in fashion, and there has been an increase in non-binary clothing. Through social media, we can become more aware of the impact that different groups of people have on fashion. 

During trying times, sometimes we need to take extra care of ourselves. Testing out new styles, while also supporting minority creators, is a fantastic way to cure quarantine boredom and express yourself at the same time. 

Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss ’22, a member of the Bronx Science Fashion club, believes that fashion is a powerful form of communication. “Fashion is the best way for me to relate to others and to forge connections. I am so excited to go back to school, because I have so many fun outfits planned out,” she said.